Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Elementary School Teachers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Columbia College, Harold Washington College, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Eastern Illinois University.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider National-Louis University, Chicago State, Northeastern Illinois University, and Judson.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Hebrew Theological College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Chicago State, Harold Washington College, UIC, and Northeastern Illinois University.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider National-Louis University, University of St Francis, Governors State, and Trinity International University.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Hebrew Theological College, Wheaton College, and Trinity International University.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Monmouth College, Augustana, Blackburn, and Illinois College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Illinois, Wheaton College, Illinois Wesleyan, and Loyola University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Saint Xavier University, National-Louis University, University of St Francis, and Concordia.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Augustana, Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan, and Wheaton College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Eastern Illinois University • Charleston, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 1998)
• 6/27/2011
"I was extremely satisfied with my university. I look back at the experience very fondly. I am a great teacher because of it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I feel that I have become a great teacher because of the university that I attended. I have been back for continuing education. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Eastern Illinois University has a great reputation for educating their students to be teachers. They provide highly qualified professionals throughout the state of Illinois. |
| Program Quality | 7 | EIU is known as a teacher college. It provides ideal and realistic programs of study for its students. |
| Instruction | 8 | The curriculum is both rigorous and challenging. The professors try to be in school on a regular basis to make sure what they are teaching is relevant. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The program has great rigor. The program pushes students to do their best work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a lot of book learning in classes that were not part of the educational program. The educational programs were very hands-on, creating and using educational materials. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I never had a problem getting into a class. There always seemed to be enough offerings to meet the needs of the students. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The facilities have been recently remodeled throughout the campus. The university is great about keeping up with computer resources. |
| Social Life | 8 | School spirit always seemed to be high. Athletic events were always well attended. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Career Services was extremely helpful in preparing a resume and finding a position. They have a daily updated web page of job postings and hold career days on a regular basis. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Alumni are kept informed by monthly newsletters via e-mail. They are encouraged to attend and become a part of homecoming activities. |
McKendree University • Lebanon, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2009)
• 6/28/2011
"I love McKendree. In fact, I've already begun my Master's there!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would caution anyone going into education these days, but if one was really interested, I would recommend McKendree. You can't beat the quality of education. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | School districts look for students from McKendree, as they know that they are getting quality teachers from there. Schools also like to have student teachers from McKendree as they know they are also quality candidates. |
| Program Quality | 10 | McKendree is a very small private college. My class sizes were small, and I was taught by a variety of experienced teachers. The one on one instruction that I received was first class. |
| Instruction | 10 | The teachers were highly qualified and had many ideas that I have already incorporated into my teaching. The instruction was always clear and was very relevant to real world situations. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The work was challenging, but fair. I was able to maintain a 4.0 grade point average, but at the same time I was challenged in my work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In a teaching program it's important to have hands on experience. Our teachers always had real life, hands on activities for us to try. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Education classes were offered at only two choice times. But they were offered at night and during the day, which was good for a working student like myself. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The professors were always available to answer any questions. McKendree has an awesome writing workshop center. The library is small, but it is easy to transfer books in from other libraries. |
| Social Life | 10 | As a non-traditional student, I was still swept in by the amount of school spirit at our school. McKendree has many activities that include everyone. such as ice cream days (free) or family spring carnival (small cost). |
| Placement Services | 5 | It is hard for me to judge this category, as I graduated at a time when teaching jobs are hard to come by. Every interview and job offer I came by were gained by my own professional relationships I had made in my previous career. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I was a non traditional student, so sometimes I feel that the alumni activities are not relevant to my life. I have kids and a husband, so the traditional activities do not apply to me. |
National-Louis University • Wheeling, IL
Studying Curriculum And Instruction (completion in 2008)
• 6/28/2011
"I was satisfied with what I learned, but I know other programs have more intense learning. While I appreciated the ease of the program, I wonder if I would have learned more in a non-cohort program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I actually did recommend it to two coworkers. The main reason it works for working teachers is the ease of schedule and the low workload. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | In our district and the surrounding ones, many working teachers have earned their Master's through this program. The recruiters were actually able to recruit at my school building, so I know the district respects them. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Our Master's program was a once-a-week cohort. We met in a group of about 12 or so with the instructor, and we completed assignments per our own decisions, choosing our own thesis and field study topics. |
| Instruction | 10 | The curriculum was very self-directed. I wrote my thesis on differentiation, which was a topic specific to my subjects. Others wrote about topics specific to their subject areas and grade levels. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It wasn't too hard. The schedule was great for working teachers. The workload was reasonable. The greatest workload was the thesis, but I learned much from, so it was acceptable to spend that much time on it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had textbooks, but we rarely used them. Most of our learning was through discussion and our own chosen research topics. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | We were able to alter the schedule at the group's decision. We scheduled long days in the summer so we would be able to have weeks without class meetings. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | We were a cohort, so we didn't go to the campus for any of our classes. We did use the online library, however, and they had even sent us an assistant one day to help us get logged in to their online article databases. |
| Social Life | 5 | As a cohort, we were social and had many meetings at remote locations or people's houses. As far as the main campus is concerned, we had little opportunity to experience events there. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They may provide assistance to those in the Bachelor's program, but considering we were all working teachers, I had no chance to see how their career placement worked. One of my cohort participants lost her job while in the program, and as far as I know, there was no assistance for her from the school. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I receive mailings from them seemingly every other week. Plus, they sent us referral information, and I was able to refer two of my coworkers. |
Judson University • Elgin, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2000)
• 7/18/2011
"I was satisfied in all areas. This university fed the whole person - body, mind, soul, and spirit."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Judson is a non-denominational Christian university. Students are provided with great models and have many opportunities for personal and field related development. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Judson was known in the northern Illinois area for producing great teachers. The integrity and character of its teachers was also commendable. |
| Program Quality | 10 | In college, I had numerous classroom experiences. We went above and beyond the basic necessary student teaching requirements. |
| Instruction | 7 | The quality of instruction was great. The professors were all former elementary teachers and gave great information, however nothing beats the real deal of actual experience. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The actual classwork was not extremely difficult. The amount of preparation seemed excessive at the time. Looking back, it was just real life preparation. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Much of what I was taught was modeled through my professors' lessons. They used many hands-on, multi-sensory approaches. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Being a smaller, private university, we did not have flexible scheduling available. In most cases, all elementary education majors had all their classes together, excluding concentrations. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The advisors and support from professors was wonderful! We were like family. |
| Social Life | 5 | My social experience was based on dorm activities and preparing lesson plans for teaching. I had a few good friends who would go out for dinner occasionally, but no parties at all. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I do not recall having much help with job placement. However, we did receive help with resumes and preparing for interviews, etc. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I receive monthly emails updating alumni on various topics. Yearly newsletters are also mailed out highlighting homecoming, accomplishments, etc. |
Elmhurst College • Elmhurst, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2010)
• 7/21/2011
"Overall, my school was great for an education major. My professors and classes were great, and I completed a lot of field experiences. However, the school was smaller and lacked some of the social atmosphere that I would have found at a larger school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | LIke I said before, my school was perfect for an education major. I would recommend this school for its emphasis on real-world experiences. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | My school's education program had an amazing reputation. This allowed me to get more interviews than students from other schools. I even got my student teaching placement because the school that picked me said they loved all Elmhurst College students. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My school's education program had a very distinguished reputation, which allowed me to get a job fairly easily. My school also put a major focus on field observation and participation hours, which provided me with the experience necessary to succeed. |
| Instruction | 10 | Like I said before, my school placed a heavy emphasis on observing and participating in the field. My classes were also filled with practical, relevant curriculum subjects that included lectures from real teachers, case studies, and mock teaching. All of this led me to feel very prepared. |
| How Difficult | 7 | My classes were challenging, but not in a negative way. They pushed me to think harder and outside-of-the-box about issues in education. The amount of hours spent studying and observing was difficult, but I feel they were necessary because they prepared me well for teaching. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The education program at my school heavily favored hands-on learning. We were required to do extensive field work, including observations, tutoring, and student teaching. Some classes did not even require textbooks! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | My school did offer evening options, but they did not offer weekend options for education classes. I would have liked even more evening classes because then I would have more time to do field observations. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | My school was absolutely fabulous when it came to facilities and resources. Our library was filled with helpful, knowledgeable librarians, our classrooms were large and clean, my academic advisor always knew what she was talking about, I knew where to get tutoring support, and my professors were always available to me. Every professor knew my name and cared about me. |
| Social Life | 5 | My school was smaller, so the events and parties that are found at larger schools did not happen. However, the social atmosphere in the dorms was respectful, fun, and supportive. Our athletic programs were small but games were fun to attend. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Like I said before, I do not know much about the school's job placement and career services. I found my job on my own and did not require their assistance. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I do not know much about my school's alumni network because I haven't heard much about it. I know there are career assistance officers, but I do not know any of them, how successful they are, or what exactly they do. |
National Louis University • Chicago, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2009)
• 7/22/2011
"It served its purpose, but I do not believe I gained too much as an educator. These programs are mainly for the purpose of getting the degree so people can bump up their income."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think the program was sufficient for the intended purpose. I do not believe teachers would need this program or necessarily gain anything that would make them more apt to excel with their students. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I think it is a reputable program. I do not think it is widely known beyond my area. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I believe it was helpful, but probably didn't benefit me as an educator. It was useful as an ideal, but the application isn't realistic at times. |
| Instruction | 5 | The curriculum was interesting, but it was not applicable to my school. I believe the information could be better utilized if I worked somewhere else. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The course was fairly easy and not overly burdensome. There was a lot of busy work, but nothing overly challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of it was us reading information and relating it to our class/situations. There was not much critical thinking and/or analysis required. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Online classes are fairly easy to work into your schedule. The times I did have to meet with people were convenient for all who attended. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Again, it was mostly an online program, but the places I did go to were very nice. The availability of the resources I did need was outstanding and I never had any issues. |
| Social Life | 3 | Most of it was on my own so I did not have much interaction. I did the program with several other members of my school, so we often got together to discuss certain things about the program. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I already had a job, so I did not utilize the job placement program. Mainly I did it to jump up a pay grade. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | It was mostly an online program, so I was not engaging with others. I have no information relating to alumni services. |
Southern Illinois University Carbondale • Carbondale, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2008)
• 7/25/2011
"I was really happy with my decision to earn my degree from SIUC. I feel that my program did a great job of preparing me to be a teacher (especially in Illinois). Although it was not perfect, I feel that my education and connections from SIUC helped me get a job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Although I was happy with my program, it may not be for everyone. I liked my instructors, but I know that many people did not appreciate their pedagogical practices. It really just depends on the person I would be making the recommendation to. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | SIUC is not a nationally-ranked powerhouse, but it is not a low-rent university either. Many people around Southern Illinois know and respect many of the instructors and program directors in the Health and Human Services department. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I feel like my program did a great job of focusing on the Illinois Standards. However, it was not progressive in teaching differentiation. |
| Instruction | 8 | Many of my instructors were retired teachers. Therefore, they brought good field experience to the classroom. However, they were teaching based upon how they taught, not necessarily to the direction in which education is going. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I was not pushed very hard in my program. It seemed to be mostly "busy" work. If a student could complete a lesson plan, they could get a degree. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many instructors required students to create lesson plans. These lesson plans were to be incorporated into lessons during observations. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Most classes were offered during several different times on different days, but some classes were not. Very few courses were offered during the evenings and weekends. I think there were a few online options, but I never explored them. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | During my time at SIUC, the library was under intensive renovation and it was next to impossible to access any materials. Also, the buildings where most education classes are taught are not very up-to-date. They lack many of the technological advances (e.g., SmartBoards) that the rest of the campus has. |
| Social Life | 8 | SIUC is a great school socially. We had great basketball and football teams while I was there (the basketball team has since fallen off the national radar) and there was always something to do. As great as SIUC is as a whole, my program was phenomenal. I had many of my classes with the same people and we formed friendships very quickly. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Career services were helpful in preparing resumes. Furthermore, the department is helpful in getting students into internships and offering teaching-fellow positions. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | SIUC's "alumni" network is poor. They will call to ask for money and give you an alumni card in return. This card can be used to get discounts from local businesses. They really do not offer a ton of real support post-graduation. |
University Of Illinois • Champaign, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2006)
• 7/23/2011
"Overall it was OK. Again, I wish I went to Roosevelt."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would go to Illinois State for teaching if I could do it over. U of I is overrated. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | It is better now, but at the time it was not so good. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I would rate it a 7 because of their inability to change their program. They are stuck in the past. |
| Instruction | 5 | I wish I took more classes in other departments. There were very few choices at the time. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Very little work. Even the teachers were hungover all the time! |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the work was from the books, which cost a fortune. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | It was very flexible. There were a lot of classes to take at different times. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | The best place on campus was the library. I spent most of my time there. |
| Social Life | 4 | I wish I went to Roosevelt University. I wanted to be an actor. |
| Placement Services | 5 | No assistance in finding a job. They did very little for the students. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | There was no help for after school planning. They left it on us. |
Illinois State University • Normal, IL
Studying Mental Retardation (That's What It Was Called Then) (completion in 1997)
• 7/30/2011
"I was satisfied, but I had gone for C&I because I could not find a masters that focused on technology. After I started at ISU, I found a technology masters offered at another university....which I later finished to meet my true goal."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | You can not beat ISU for their prep for a teaching career. They have dedicated staff, a beautiful facility, and a wide offering of classes. I have not checked since I graduated to see if they started offering more technology classes for teachers, but that is the only thing I found lacking while attending at both the bachelor and masters level. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | ISU has always been the top state university for teacher prep. I have had student teachers from several universities, and I have observed ISU teacher candidates to be well prepared. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My first masters was in Curriculum and Instruction, the second was in Instructional Technology (at another university). They complimented each other nicely. |
| Instruction | 7 | I think the C&I curriculum was a little stale at that time. I didn't use it in my classrooms, but ended up using it a great deal when I was also assigned the job of grant writer for the district. There, all the theory learned in C&I helped me write outstanding grants for technology money. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I only found one class extremely hard. It was very heavy on theory. The rest were pretty easy. Some were even offered locally so that I did not have to commute to the campus. That really eased the burden. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Way too much book learning. I can hardly remember any hands-on learning in my masters classes. We had to take back assignments and try things on our students, but not much else. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | As stated earlier, I really liked having some classes brought to the local junior college (for the facility only) so I did not have to drive to campus. If I had only wanted one class a semester, I could have gotten my whole masters without commuting....but I took several classes a semester and had to commute for some of them. Thank goodness they offered everything in evening and summer classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The campus classes were great. However, the classes I took locally through the university did not have all the research opportunities available that might have been helpful. But as it was at the beginning of online help, some assistance was available that way. |
| Social Life | 7 | As I have only been writing about my masters degree, I have to say that social life was nonexistent. But in my undergraduate studies there, I loved it. I am still in constant contact with my roommates almost 40 years later. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I never used the placement services. I went straight back to my home school district and was hired immediately. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I probably do not have a good impression. I find that all the alumni network does is send out a magazine about once a year, and call all the time for donations. |
North Central College • Naperville, IL
Studying Music And Music Education K-12 (completion in 1998)
• 8/2/2011
"I was so satisfied with my undergrad college education that it inspired me to want to go back to school for my masters. I have great memories from my undergrad years at NCC. NCC gave me confidence to be anything I dreamed I could be because of their support and my professors. I came out of college well rounded in all areas and have taken that into my everyday life. Now that is what a good college education should do."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have already recommended North Central College to several of my current vocal and Piano students. Several have already gone to NCC and graduated and others are enrolling or continuing to go there. I also recommend NCC to people wanting to pursue their masters. It is a phenomenal Liberal Arts school and I highly recommend it to anyone. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The music education and performing arts programs at North Central College have become a huge success over the years and people everywhere are looking at the school for their majors in education, Music, Theater, and in other areas of the performing arts. I have several of my own music students that have graduated from high school and were inspired to attend NCC (North Central College) and have succeeded amazingly in their programs. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I came out of college very prepared to become a music teacher. I believe North Central College prepared me for the real world and what it is to really be in the working world. I am grateful for the education I received. The music program where I teach now is exceptional and all the teachers work as a team at all the academic levels. The music departments are very close, like a family, in my current school district. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors go out of their way to help you when necessary or when they see you need assistance. The class sizes are smaller than in a big university so you receive more attention to your specific needs. The instructors are all very experienced and at the highest levels in the careers and knowledge in the field. |
| How Difficult | 9 | For most students the music program would be very difficult, because it is very demanding and is based on performance based assessments in all areas. Even if music comes easy to a student, like it did me, it still is a very heavy work load and class load, and the requirements are demanding. In the end it is very rewarding! |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In college it was a mix of both, but because I was a music education major, there was a ton on hands on due to clinicals, student teaching, performing, etc. As a current educator it is the same way. The philosophy in education is to be able to teach all children and adapt to the various styles of teaching in a classroom, so I currently do that in the building I teach in. I learned that from my experiences in college. It makes learning fun and you remember more by actually putting it into real life perspectives. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes are offered to fit the students' needs and at various times and semesters. If you can not take a course during the times they are given in a semester, you can request an independent study in the course with a professor or online class. Most of the time the courses are offered during weekends, summers, and winter sessions for students that can't make the sessions when offered. It is very flexible and courses are designed to fit other courses in a field of major. The professors work in committees and meet to make this happen each year. It is pretty neat. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The school has grown and been built up since I graduated in 1998, so the facilities are amazing now. They were wonderful when I went to college there, too. Our graduating class donated money to the fine arts department to build a new fine arts center and concert hall and it finally happened! Enough donations were given from alumni of all classes, the city, businesses, etc. that the new fine arts building and concert hall is as amazing as the one at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. I am proud of that accomplishment and that so many people wanted the fine arts to thrive. It was good for the students, alumni, community, and campus! |
| Social Life | 9 | North Central is a big family, no matter what department you are in. The campus is very active and includes both on campus life and off campus life for those that commute from home or their own apartments off campus. There are tons of activities, dances, athletic events, music concerts, theater, etc. year round. In fact, some famous artists, musicians, writers, and speakers have come to NCC because of the campus lifestyle, the community, and the feel. It is pretty amazing! |
| Placement Services | 10 | The Career Services Department keeps current students and alumni up to date on job postings in all fields within the office on the college campus and also online. When I graduated from NCC I went there for assistance with my resume, portfolio, etc. and they were a great help. Education and music jobs were posted all the time and most were recent openings. In fact, our music department and education departments assisted Career Services with postings of jobs on campus. I received my first 2 teaching jobs due to leads from NCC. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Every year the alumni department contacts all alumni via mail, e-mail, or phone in regards to homecoming, special events throughout the year, and for alumni donations and funds. The alumni department and office is constantly keeping former and current students up to date on what is happening in the department they are receiving or have received their degrees in. I couldn't ask for more. It is like a huge family! |
Blackburn College • Carlinville, IL
Studying Physical Education And Health (completion in 2003)
• 9/27/2011
"I was pretty satisfied with the school. I don't feel like I was lacking because of where I went. I felt prepared and knowledgeable when I graduated."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Overall I do believe it was a good school. It was small but that improved the sense of community. You knew everyone and they knew you which makes everything feel more personal. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | My school was a very small school so I do not think their reputation is that great. Though this is only because few people have heard of it, not based on their programs. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I felt like we learned quite a bit, but it would have been nice to have an instructor who was a little more athletically inclined. We were learning to teach children life long physical activity from someone that did not carry that motto in his own life. I felt the program provided me with useful information and prepared me for my career. |
| Instruction | 6 | Our instructors were pretty average, I wouldn't say they were the best I've had but they tried really hard and truly cared about the students and their class. They were always there for us if we had a question or a problem. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I found it extremely easy at Blackburn. I do not know if it was because I went to school (Grade School - High School) in Canada or not. I felt like I knew a lot going into the program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I think they provided a good mix of both. We used the texts and handouts a lot but also went out and did a lot of hands-on work. My favorite was when we visited the school for the deaf and on another trip the school for the blind. It was great to see how to teach different students rather than read from a book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The school was really good at making sure classes were available at times I needed them. It was a small school so it was a lot of the same students in the same classes. I never had a problem where I couldn't take a class because it wasn't offered. There were no online or summer classes offered. I did have to take a few evening classes but that was because the instructor was brought in from either another school or was a professional. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library was pretty old, the information it had was OK but I felt better using the internet in my dorm rather than using anything at the library. The classes were small but that was because of the population. I never felt we were over crowded or could use a bigger room. Study group support was great with it being a small school. Fellow classmates were almost always available to study with or ask a question. The professors were almost always there to help. They even gave us their home numbers if we ran into a problem. Excellent! |
| Social Life | 10 | I actually went to my school for their sports. I played softball for them, so that was the main reason for attending. I went to lots of parties, sporting events and social events. I feel the school spirit could have been better, there was usually the core of us at the same games and outings, it would have been nice if it was everyone! |
| Placement Services | 9 | I thought our school did a really good job of trying to get students a job upon completion of their program. We provided the Education department with what we wanted to teach and they sent out e-mails as soon as a position became available that would fit what we were interested in. I would have probably utilized the department more for finding a job if I wasn't going back to Canada to teach. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Our alumni network is fabulous. They keep in contact with us in so many ways (E-mail, newsletter, Facebook, phone and mail). It's easy to keep up with what is happening at the school and when they want us to join in a celebration we know about it well in advance. |
University Of Illinois • Champaign, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2001)
• 10/8/2011
"I love Illinois and the atmosphere, and the campus is beautiful. Intellectually, though, it wasn't for me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would not recommend UIUC. Due to the cost and other factors, Illinois State in Bloomington would be preferable. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I would say it's an average elementary education program. It is a little small, though. |
| Program Quality | 3 | There is very little clinical experience prior to your senior year. Providing more school interaction in your Freshman and Sophomore years would be optimal. |
| Instruction | 7 | The professors were very good and highly qualified on the whole. I had a few professors that were mailing it in, but no more than any other program. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Overall, the study was very easy. The general education classes were much more difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program was too book oriented. They should have sent us to local schools earlier and more often. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | There was very little flexibility in scheduling. The final two years are set in stone. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The education building is quite old. They really should look at building new facilities for elementary education. The library system is fantastic, and most other buildings are quite good. |
| Social Life | 5 | I would say I had an average social experience. I gained quite a few lifelong friends and had some great times. |
| Placement Services | 4 | I received very little assistance in searching for a career. They didn't seem very interested in helping me. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I like the alumni association. Still, they mostly ask for money. |
Dominican University • River Forest, IL
Studying Alternative Certification In Elementary Education K-8 (completion in 2012)
• 11/3/2011
"My experience with Dominican has been satisfactory. I have enjoyed some classes and applied them to my job, but others have been a waste of time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Dominican University has its advantages and disadvantages. Classes vary depending on the professor; some are quite interesting and useful, while others are boring and irrelevant. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Dominican University is a private, religious institution. It is not a top-ranked school, but it has a decent reputation. |
| Program Quality | 4 | My program is an alternative certification program. Many of the classes help prepare you to be an effective teacher. Some focus on topics that aren't as related to my field though, like lower elementary literacy instruction. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some classes have been relevant to my teaching experience and have educated me on important topics. Others have been mostly unrelated to my particular teaching experience. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Classwork is generally easy. Many of the assignments can be done fairly quickly and do not require higher order thinking. Classes do vary in difficulty, though. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Much of our work is based on book readings and responses. A good portion, though, is made up of group activities and teaching. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | In my program, my entire class schedule was predetermined and fixed. I had no say in when I took my classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Professors are generally accessible by email and during office hours. The library facilities are excellent and well-stocked. |
| Social Life | 3 | I do not feel integrated with the social life at my school and do not participate in organized events. I am friends, however, with my classmates. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Career services works fairly well. They have connections with several school districts as employers. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | There are events and resources for alumni. The alumni network is full of successful teachers in the Chicago area. |
Western Illinois University • Macomb, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 1996)
• 11/7/2011
"WIU was one of the best experiences in my life. I am very thankful that I attended there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a wonderful college. It is big enough, but not so big that you become just a number to your instructors. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | There still seems to be a large group of students who are interested in elementary education that attend WIU. I have seen many student teachers coming to do their field work in our area. |
| Program Quality | 8 | WIU provided me with a very good education. The professors truly cared and were very dedicated. There were also many opportunities to practice what you were learning in the "real" world. |
| Instruction | 8 | The quality of instruction was outstanding. They provided you with many tools to take with you to use. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It was far from overwhelming. My academic challenge made you think, but requests were not unreasonable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had many, many opportunities for hands on practice. We were able to use many things in our classrooms and then take them out into the field and use them there also. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Courses seemed to be provided most anytime you would need. There were a few exceptions, though, when a class would only be offered at one time. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Academic facilities were excellent. Their library was always available and computer labs were located in every dorm. It was never an issue to get to the resources needed. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was not at WIU for a "social experience." There were many things that I could have participated in if I had wanted to. |
| Placement Services | 5 | The help was there if needed. Many of us though, through, our student teaching experiences, were able to find connections to become employed in a district. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I've had no contact with the alumni network other than them calling and asking for monetary support. I do enjoy the university newspaper that is sent out to the alumni. |
Aurora University • Aurora, IL
Studying Teaching (completion in 2002)
• 10/29/2011
"My degree was earned efficiently and easily. The workload was appropriately challenging."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Their program is well-respected. It is also convenient for Master's cohorts. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | In our area, Aurora University is well-respected for its cohort programs. They run a quality lab school on their campus. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My degree was efficiently obtained through a cohort program. All classes were taught by qualified instructors. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instructors were professional and supportive. The curriculum was relevant to classroom application. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The workload was challenging, but not overwhelming. Instructors were aware that we were teaching all day. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | All of our tasks were meant to be applied to our current classroom situation. They were all very hands-on by design. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | We met as a cohort on Wednesday nights for 3 years. The location was convenient to the group. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | They had everything we needed. They provided what wasn't readily available. |
| Social Life | 5 | This was not an issue for me. I was an adult, returning student completing a Master's degree. |
| Placement Services | I did not use this service. I have no personal knowledge of its effectiveness. | |
| Alumni Network | I do not access the alumni network. I don't know if it is good or not. |
Southern Illinois University Carbondale • Carbondale, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2007)
• 10/25/2011
"I believe SIUC prepared me for becoming a elementary teacher. I enjoyed my time there a lot and I would recommend it to people to get their degree there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a great experience. You'll get the proper knowledge to be prepared when you graduate. And you'll love being a teacher. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | SIUC is known in the area that I live for being a very good school and for having a very good Elementary Education program. Many students choose to go to SIUC in this major every year. |
| Program Quality | 9 | SIUC offered a very good program with a lot of classes that really helped me understand how to teach properly. Also the 12 hours of required student teaching helped me to have experience in the classroom before getting a job. |
| Instruction | 8 | Instruction was very good and the classes were all managed well with the right amount of work required from each. Some teachers weren't as good as others but for the most part they were all good. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It was overall average. There wasn't too much work load where you couldn't get everything done but you still had to work. If I didn't work hard I would have not gotten A's in my classes. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was mixed. We had a lot to learn from books and from the teacher. However, the student teaching also provided a lot of hands on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | SIUC offers night classes for many of the classes I had to take. Also a lot of the courses were offered in the summer as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | SIUC had a great library for us called Morris Library which I spent a lot of time at. Also the advisors were there to help you and lots of tutoring is available to you at SIUC. |
| Social Life | 10 | It was so much fun being a Saluki! I enjoyed going to football and basketball games. Plus there were parties to go to every weekend and there is just always something going on there. |
| Placement Services | 3 | SIUC didn't really help me find a job very well. I had to do all of the searching myself. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | The teachers at times weren't the best. Some teachers seemed like they didn't care as much as others. Also some teachers were hard to get in contact with. |
Governor's State University • University Park, IL
Studying Educational Leadership (completion in 2009)
• 10/29/2011
"I am satisfied with the program and love that I have my certification and Master's degree. For further schooling, I will choose a school that is held in higher regard."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The program I completed was made available on nights I was able to attend, at a nearby school that was convenient. At the time, that was important to me. If someone is in a similar situation, it's not a bad program to go through. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | No one will laugh at me or disregard my degree due to the school. However, it is not held up with esteem either. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I went through a Governor's State cohort because it was being held at a building in my school district. I wasn't thrilled with their program, and don't hold it in very high regard. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some of the instructors were knowledgeable and dynamic. Some were tedious and out-of-touch. My education there was not bad, just not great. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Again, I wasn't disappointed in my studies. I wouldn't have minded if it was a little more rigorous. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I hate to be so "middle of the road" on all my answers, but an off campus cohort is so different. My instructors used multimodal teaching. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Since we were an off-campus cohort, we signed up for the program knowing when and where all classes were to meet. The group was primarily from my school district, so any other flexibility (rescheduling of classes due to conferences, etc) was determined by the majority. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I was off campus. I didn't use the campus except to take my comp test. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was off campus. I did not have any social experience. |
| Placement Services | 5 | As a grad school, and a cohort, we didn't use any career services. They may have it for undergrad, but I don't know for sure. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I'm not actively involved in the alumni network. I'm more involved with my undergrad alumni. |
Saint Xavier University • Chicago, IL
Studying Teaching And Leadership (completion in 2010)
• 10/22/2011
"The Master's program was flexible for my life as a teacher. It also provided me with the opportunity to get my degree in two years and further my education as an elementary teacher."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The program works with your lifestyle as a teacher. You also have the opportunity to work with other teachers and learn from their experiences as a teacher. You can take things that you learn in class and use them in your classroom the very next day. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Both my undergrad and graduate schools were highly recommended to me. When I was choosing a program for my Master's degree there were several other fine arts teachers in my current school district who had also completed the same program and recommended it to me. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My school district is very supportive of the arts in schools from elementary through high school. Therefore, I have found a lot of support and encouragement in my administration and colleagues. |
| Instruction | 8 | When I was working on my Master's program it was a cohort model. Some of the classes were very beneficial and pertained to me as a elementary music educator. However, other courses seemed to be more directed towards teachers of older students and therefore not as beneficial to me at the moment. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It was a two year Master's program. There was a significant amount of writing in each class but nothing unmanageable. We also were required to complete an research project which was somewhat time consuming but we could complete it with our colleagues. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The Master's program allowed us to use our actual teaching experience. Also, many of the classes had us actually participating in the teaching strategies we were learning about. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The undergrad program that I participate in was designed to work around the schedule and lifestyle of a current elementary teacher. Therefore, it was very flexible and would accommodate us based on what was happening in our lives. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The professors were very easy to contact and were very helpful with our research project. Also, the computer resources were excellent because they helped us find electronic resources for our work during the Master's program. |
| Social Life | 5 | Since I participated in a cohort program for my Master's degree I was not on the actual campus a lot. However, my undergrad experience was much different and there was a significant amount of school spirit and activities to be involved in. |
| Placement Services | I am unaware of the career service program at my graduate school. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have actually never utilized any of the alumni network connections for my graduate school. My undergrad school has a very good Alumni network and it constantly reaching out to alumni. However, I have not stayed as connected as I would have liked due to other life events. |
Elmhurst College • Elmhurst, IL
Studying Music Education (completion in 2010)
• 12/11/2011
"I was very satisfied with Elmhurst College. I felt they prepared me for my future career and then some!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely suggest Elmhurst College for any student looking to pursue a degree in music education. There are wonderful faculty members, resources, and networks set up to help any student thrive there! |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Elmhurst's music department reputation only continues to improve as the school gets more popular, making it more difficult to be accepted. There have been new majors added to the music program and new faculty members hired that have really upped the ante! |
| Program Quality | 9 | For how small a school Elmhurst is, it was fairly well known for its music education department. Elmhurst has a very high job placement rate for music majors. |
| Instruction | 10 | Elmhurst College did a wonderful job preparing me for work in music education. They have programs that other larger colleges don't have, like additional instrument lessons, more performance opportunities, and topnotch mentoring programs. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Normally, music education is a 5-year major, but I pushed to finish it in 4. As a result, I had a full course load every year, making some semesters quite difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | One of the best things about Elmhurst is how hands on all of the tech classes are. We were constantly working with real students, fixing real problems. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Because it is a smaller school by design (and a smaller program), there are only so many music education classes offered, and at fairly limited times as a result. Regular education classes (that other general education majors would also need to take) were more frequent and a little easier to schedule, but still not as flexible as it would be at a bigger college. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The music program at Elmhurst is topnotch, but the program grows much faster than the facilities will allow. We have great resources, teachers, and advisors, but the facilities are in dire need of renovation and expansion. |
| Social Life | 10 | The music education department is one of the closest-knit groups of people I've ever had the experience of being associated with! Not only were there good friendships, but also good professional relationships that continue still today. |
| Placement Services | 10 | For years, Elmhurst was one of the only colleges in Illinois that could boast a 100% job placement after graduation when it came to their music education department. Even in this hard economy, they still have the highest job placement rate in the area. The staff in the music department have great networking contacts that help the students succeed in finding music education jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The alumni network, especially in our area, is strong. There are frequent meetups and networking events. |
DePaul University • Chicago, IL
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2000)
• 1/12/2012
"It was a very good education. I enjoyed the program and would attend again."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would tell others to consider the school in their search. I would also tell others about my great experience there. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was a good school with a good program. They were very accommodating to married people with families like me. |
| Instruction | 8 | The teachers were knowledgeable and helpful. I still refer to the books and materials for guidance. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It was challenging but not too difficult. It was a great program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classes were designed so that we learned from the book and then had the opportunity to experience some of what we read. It was a very balanced program. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | As a wife and soon to be mother, the schedule of classes were very flexible. I also worked full time and was able to leave work and get to class on time. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school was clean and always in good order. Some of the classrooms were older, but it is an older school. |
| Social Life | 3 | It was hard to get to know people because I lived off campus and because I was at a different point in life than the others in my class. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The school overall has a good reputation. It still has a good reputation for academics. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | It was really good right out of school, but as the years went on, there has not been as much support. |
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